The Veteran's appeal for service connection of various conditions, including a left ankle disability and lumbar spine issues, has been remanded due to incomplete medical records. The initial ratings for bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis and malunion of the left little finger have been denied.
The deciding factor: Incomplete medical records prevented the VA from obtaining necessary information to make an informed decision on the Veteran's claims.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral pes planus with bilateral plantar fasciitis, Malunion of the left little finger
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 5, 2023
- Citation
- 23064309
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 23064309.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis, post-operative left knee injury, hemorrhoids, and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment due to his physical limitations. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these disabilities preclude him from obtaining such employment.
- Denied
The Veteran's bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis was denied a higher rating prior to August 25, 2016. From August 25, 2016, the maximum schedular rating of 50 percent for bilateral pes planus is granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and a retrospective medical opinion to assess the severity of his lower back disability prior to August 3, 2017. The issues of PTSD, GERD with hiatal hernia and IBS, allergic rhinitis, and bilateral pes planus with bilateral plantar fasciitis are also remanded for updated examinations.
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